[UPDATE 7:33 p.m.] Second US Resident Dead in Covid-19 Outbreak
Screengrab of the Johns Hopkins CSSE showing a large number of cases in the Seattle area.
Today, Washington State authorities are reporting that a second person has died of Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) in King County. The first person dead in the United States in the outbreak was also located in King County.
Ten people in that county (which is where Seattle is located) and 13 in that state have now tested positive for Covid-19. Authorities now believe that the virus has been transmitting person to person in that state for about six weeks. According to the Washington Post, “[G]enetic analysis suggests that the cases are linked through community transmission and that this has been going on for weeks, with hundreds of infections likely in the state.” Authorities in Washington now have 231 people under public health supervision.
According to the New York Times, “One-quarter of the city’s firefighters were in quarantine on Sunday because they had been to the nursing facility. A nearby college spent the day cleansing its campus because students had visited the facility. The local hospital asked visitors to stay away.”
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration allowed some hospital and commercial labs to use their own tests for Covid-19. Experts are now saying that based on genetic investigations, that the relatively small number of known cases (85) in the US may be because the testing protocols required authorization from the FDA. Now, experts believe more expansive testing is likely to reveal a much larger number of cases in the States.
UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Press release from Seattle & King County Public Health:
COVID-19 test results have come back from the Washington State Public Health Laboratory confirming four additional cases of COVID-19 in King County residents. With these four new results, the total number of cases in King County is ten. Today’s results include an additional death, bringing the total number of deaths in King County from COVID-19 to two.
King County Executive’s Office will join local and state public health officials on Monday to discuss the latest cases and the King County response to this outbreak to discuss the latest cases and the King County response to this outbreak.
The four new cases are in:
- A female in her 80s, hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. The woman has underlying health conditions, and is in critical condition
- A female in her 90s, hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. The woman has underlying health conditions, and is in critical condition
- A male in his 70s, hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. The man has underlying health conditions, and is in critical condition
- A male in his 70s was hospitalized at EvergreenHealth. He had underlying health conditions and died on 2/29/20.
All of these newly identified cases are among residents of LifeCare, the skilled nursing facility in Kirkland that was previously identified to have two associated cases.
Six other cases, already reported earlier by Public Health, include:
- A man in his 60s, hospitalized at Valley Medical Center in Renton.
- A man in 60s, hospitalized at Virginia Mason Medical Center.
- A woman in her 50s, who had traveled to South Korea; recovering at home
- A woman in her 70s, who was a resident of LifeCare in Kirkland, hospitalized at EvergreenHealth
- A woman in her 40s, employed by LifeCare, who is hospitalized at Overlake Medical Center
- A man in his 50s, who was hospitalized and died at EvergreenHealth
Public Health is working hard to identify close contacts of these confirmed cases. These close contacts may include family members, co-workers, emergency responders and other contacts. A team of CDC officials is on-the-ground working with Public Health, along with the Washington State Department of Health, our healthcare system partners and many others.
The public can help:
1) Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor first.
2) Stay home when sick
3) Practice excellent personal hygiene habits, including handwashing, coughing into tissue or elbow, avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
4) Stay away from people who are ill, especially if you are 60 and older or have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or a weakened immune system.
5) Stay informed. Information is changing frequently. Check and subscribe to Public Health’s website (www.kingcounty.gov/COVID) or blog (www.publichealthinsider.com)
UPDATE: Five Now Dead in the US as Covid-19 Takes Further Toll in Seattle Area
Earlier Chapters:
- CDC Says California Now Has Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus
- One Case of Covid-19 (Previously Known as Novel Coronavirus) in Humboldt County
- Answering Questions About Covid-19 (AKA the Coronavirus) in Humboldt County
- Trinity Co. DHHS Asks Residents Who Have Traveled to Hubei Province, China, or Have Had Direct Contact With Someone Who Has to Contact Them
- Guidance for Business Owners on How to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19)
- Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services Says They Cannot Confirm a Second Case of COVID-19
- Washington Post Reports New Coronavirus Case in Northern California of ‘Unknown Origin’; DHHS Says Not Humboldt County
- State and Federal Response Lacks Places to Quarantine COVID-19 as Pandemic Evolves
- Of Cannabis and Covid-19
- Humboldt County Covid – 19 Patient released After No Longer Showing Symptoms
- UPDATE 10:40 a.m.: Breaking News, First US Death]Humboldt County Prepares as COVID-19 Cases Continue to Emerge Across the Nation
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Wow. TWO whole people died. I’m very scared. Time to panic!
You comment makes me sick. Two people in our country with families, children, siblings, parents, spouses. Thousands more in China. Show some compassion for your fellow human being. Or is that too much to ask from you? This is scary, especially if you have elderly love ones. My parents are in their 80’s. I don’t want them to catch this.
If you are “over the hype” do yourself a favor and become infected with COVID19. Prove to yourself it’s just “hype”.
It would be a welcome joy to lose 2% of the population. We are already killing our planet and all of us through the destruction of human overpopulation and consumption. With any luck this virus will get stronger and take out more like 5%. This may be looked back upon by future generations as a blessing.
So why are you still typing? Shouldn’t you be doing your part?
People aren’t the problem. Globalism and consumerism is the problem. People like your hero (I’m sure) Bernie, who takes 3 jets to fly his crew 100 miles.
Take a look at all the climate change doom prediction from years ago that have not come true.
Signs at glacier park reading ” gone by 2020″, were just removed, and Obama bought himself a waterfront mansion.
We ( the rest of us) are humans who understand the survival of the species comes first.
I wonder if you would be so callus if you had to watch your own grandma cough and hack to death.
Wanna save the planet?
Stop buying shit you don’t need!
Even if it is 10% the global population recovery would be less than 10 years.
We’re all going to die!
“ 1) Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor first.” so if you covid-19 like symptoms visit your regular doctors first. Make sure you have the corona before comming to the emergency room. Sounds real smart
They’re getting ready to triage.
You’re supposed to call your doctor on the tellyphone so they can arrange for public health to visit you at home, or so the ER staff can meet you at your car with a HEPA mask and usher you directly into a private quarantine room.
At this point I can smell a lot of fear and pandemonium. The grocery markets are getting picked clean, and people are getting risky. I wonder how many people will DIE from this pandemic from un-related causes?
Here are some…
Beautiful. Thanks.
Just saying, Sid really likes to swoon you Ullr.
I told you a long time ago how he kisses your ass.
Enjoy it.
You don’t like excellent music?
I don’t click SIDS links.
I don’t enjoy being swooned by trolling misinformants.
Santa Barbara.
Classic, especially for those that remember the Sid/Santa Barbara connection discussion.
Look below. I visited google images too!
Wonder how many times we’re gonna hear about that Brain tumor. Anyone that spouts this much grooviness is full of it. Big time. A lot of people are easily impressed by flattery.
Unless we get smacked by a giant bolide, or get in the way of an intergalatic highway… then we all get to die at the same time.
Intergalactic highway… all I have to say is… so long and thanks for the fish.
I’m glad somebody got the reference. 42
Cheers…
1.8 humans die every second. Tik Tok
Lets do some math. It is likely from what the WHO and CDC said 60% of the worlds population could become infected. So if we just did that projection for Uncle Sam and figured in the 2 percent fatality rate we come to roughly 4,200,000 dead Americans. Quite a bit more than the common flu
Yup.
“In their Journal article, Li and colleagues3 provide a detailed clinical and epidemiologic description of the first 425 cases reported in the epicenter of the outbreak: the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, China. Although this information is critical in informing the appropriate response to this outbreak, as the authors point out, the study faces the limitation associated with reporting in real time the evolution of an emerging pathogen in its earliest stages. Nonetheless, a degree of clarity is emerging from this report. The median age of the patients was 59 years, with higher morbidity and mortality among the elderly and among those with coexisting conditions (similar to the situation with influenza); 56% of the patients were male. Of note, there were no cases in children younger than 15 years of age. Either children are less likely to become infected, which would have important epidemiologic implications, or their symptoms were so mild that their infection escaped detection, which has implications for the size of the denominator of total community infections…
…If one assumes that the number of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic cases is several times as high as the number of reported cases, the case fatality rate may be considerably less than 1%. This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of Covid-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%) or a pandemic influenza (similar to those in 1957 and 1968) rather than a disease similar to SARS or MERS, which have had case fatality rates of 9 to 10% and 36%, respectively.2” https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2002387
Severe acute respiratory Syndrome, Is not actually “like the flu “.No matter what the media and government say .while this RNA virus may be less lethal than it’s brother SARS .it’s actually showing to be way more transmissible than the flu . The bad news is this was virologist biggest concern in the documentary virus empire. T
If our government keeps saying the word flu people will not take precautions.This is not the flu. it is a less deadly strain of the SARS virus 🤞🏻 .
———————-
This paper summarized the similarities and differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, both of which cause major disease outbreaks in China and worldwide, which will provide comprehensive reference for epidemic prevention.
https://res.mdpi.com/d_attachment/viruses/viruses-12-00244/article_deploy/viruses-12-00244.pdf
2.2. Homology Analysis
The amino acid sequences of 28 proteins in SARS-CoV-2 were compared with those of SARS-CoV to analyze protein homology by using NCBI Blastp [15]. Proteins from SARS and SARS-CoV-2 were treated as homologous: identity value ≥ 65%, query coverage ≥ 95%.
The WHO also said, “I hope I die before I get old.”
Gee, at least six cases traced to one nursing home? Can’t say I’m surprised, nursing homes are grosser than cruise ships.
Two care providers had the Corona virus (mild cases)… and infected most of the nursing home.
Kinda the problem, young people can have the virus, maybe mild flu, maybe not feeling good, maybe not even realizing they are sick… and transmit it. Virus infects older people, not so good.
That is why the huge lock-down was done in China, 12 million people crowded in a city, infection rate was huge.
Lost two (child) uncles in the Spanish flu outbreak during WWI.
At the time, even the best medical care was not enough.
Nasty flu, it would kill a ‘healthy adult’ in a couple days.
Thanks for the update.
Can we get some info on this one?
Other recent cases include:
A person in Humboldt County in northern California.
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates
I read where you found that, it is from last week that was already reported here, it is not a new case.
Some quick math: US population 331 million, if only half get infected 165,500,000 estimated death rate of 2% = 3,310,000 people in the US could possibly die as a result of COVID-19 and the death rate for critically ill is 49% or higher.
1% is more accurate.
And it won’t get that bad unless Dane Wigington is in control.
China, the epicenter, has held their numbers way below your estimate.
We should be able to do better with the advantage of foresight.
The chinese were able to implement an almost complete shutdown of business and travel in and out of the epicenter. We have no legal capacity for such a regional quarantine.
China also has everyone always wearing protective gear in public. Not likely to gain such compliance here.
Besides the virus is now in almost every country already. Will we shut shutdown international travel? Close schools?
I think its very likely the U.S. will be hit pretty hard until that vaccine is released.
On the other hand, NASA released pictures today showing extreme reduction in air pollution in china because the manufacturing had to stop.
Stopping airliners would really clean things up for a while
Although some do theorize that the shaddow cause by smog is slowing the global temperature spike.
Kelley Lincoln, is this you?
I will respond if it is. But I’m tired of troll imposters taking my time (and name).
Yes, it is Kelley Lincoln.
Thank you Kym.
Kelley,
We have no legal capacity for such a regional quarantine.
Sure we do. But I’m skeptical it will get to that point here.
China also has everyone always wearing protective gear in public.
Americans are terribly misinformed and are over -buying masks.
However, smarter citizens, at any place of work that counts public money, are already wearing nitrile gloves. (Shout out to Helene @ Evergreen)
Why is there not a huge run on 60% alcohol hand sanitizer yet? I dont know.
The difference between the USA and China is a big one. The citizens of China rely on the Government for information. Fortunately we are ahead of that and our citizens can make more informed self-choices regarding personal safety. Though, obviously and unfortunately, bad information is normally more popular in the US.
Fortunately cleanliness is more standardized here in the US, too.
We dont have wet-market wild-animal bloody-floor grocers.
Will we shut shutdown international travel?
I don’t know. There are restrictions currently on inbound flights from China correct?
Depending on the waves of transmission and other Country’s hotbeds of infections, we may see certain restrictions. Most likely people are already rethinking and changing any contemporary plans to fly.
Obviously it’s smart to not travel right now by plane.
Close schools?
Fortunately kids are the safest group regarding this virus, but their families and teachers are susceptible.
I would close schools today for 2 weeks and let our Covid testing catch up to the potential reality.
Did you know there have only been 500 Covid tests performed in the US?
Italy has tested over 22,000 people, for comparison.
I think its very likely the U.S. will be hit pretty hard until that vaccine is released.
I agree, I told Ullr a few days ago that I’m pretty confident there are hundreds of undiagnosed cases right now in CA alone.
Concerning for sure, but I’m thankful we are getting this test with a 1% mortality rate and not a 10% mortality rate.
NASA released pictures today showing extreme reduction in air pollution in china because the manufacturing had to stop.
I saw that too. Pretty cool.
We don’t actually know the case fatality rate yet .many patients have not recovered .trusting the Chinese is silly.the only treatment is supportive care which will be quickly overwhelmed ,up to 20% may need care. Sadly many hospitals have been unaware they have been caring for infected patients. unknowingly possibly infecting many health care workers.uhhhhg
https://www.kabc.com/news/more-than-120-uc-davis-health-care-staff-in-self-quarantine-after-possible-exposure-to-coronavirus/
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-02-28/china-study-puts-coronavirus-death-rate-at-14-37-real-number-may-be-lower
It’s most likely less than 1%.
There’s no way to know how many people were infected without being diagnosed.
However the recent events here in the states show it’s quite easy to under-diagnose because of mild or nonexistent symptoms.
Looking st the 2 deaths in Washington, the math would say there are at least 200 undiagnosed cases up there.
100 if you want to go with 2% mortality rate, I just see that as so inaccurate.
More reasons why we will be under-diagnosing here in the US:
Already, Americans hold out on visiting the doctor when they’re sick or need care.
A quarter of Americans skipped a medical treatment due to costs, according to a 2019 survey by Westhealt and Gallup.Additionally, 15 million Americans have deferred purchasing prescription drugs in the past year because of cost.
Recent reports suggest that the bill to get tested for coronavirus could cost more than $3,000, a huge cash outlay for many. Two in 5 Americans couldn’t cover a $400 emergency without borrowing money or selling items for cash, according to the Federal Reserve.
https://www.yahoo.com/money/coronavirus-sick-leave-health-insurance-162016804.html
Brian – on the mortality rate it might end being drastically different Country to country based on ICU beds and supportive care. we just don’t know yet.i know that Italy and South Korea health systems are all-ready overwhelmed .
Look at the numbers in Italy
1700 diagnosed with 34 dead.
(Though there is “some discrepency” as to the 34 number)
That is a 2% mortality rate assuming every case is diagnosed, which is impossible.
But we also dont know if 34 is 100% accurate, it might be less (or more).
https://www.thelocal.it/20200301/map-which-parts-of-italy-are-affected-by-coronavirus-outbreak/amp
But furthermore,the epicenter hasn’t even diagnosed 100,000 cases, and new cases are dropping.
Unless we really are stupid in the 2 weeks, we should be able to have Country wide totals of less cases than China, and maybe less than Europe too.
I normally don’t consider myself optimistic, I’m trying to base my opinion on what’s already happened.
Would your anti-vaccine nonsense troll that news just the same?
Bullshit.
Do it like on the movie outbreak drop the bomb
Shoot the administration should of been testing for covid-19 pneumonia months ago in our high risk population ie hospitals and care facilities .one word inept.
Anyone know if humboldt county’s patient 1 . Close contact mentioned was tested?
Yes. And the answer is yes.
Kelley did the close contact test negative ?I hope they test multiple times out of an abundance of caution.
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/cdc-mistakenly-releases-san-antonio-patient-who-later-tests-positive-for-coronavirus
Two tests, taken 24 hours apart, had tested negative for the virus and the CDC cleared the patient. However, a later test sample came back and was determined to be “weakly” positive for COVID-19.
That wouldn’t work. They’d have to bomb multiple parts of the United States including several of our own military bases, and they still wouldn’t be able to kill everyone who had it.
Calm the heck down and wash your hands.
Ooh, and maybe we’ll see a helicopter fly under the bridge again.
Kevin Spacey’s out, though. I ain’t working with *that* guy anymore.
I’ve been watching You Tube stories by survivors of the Spanish flu. Unbelievable amounts of people died, so many that church burials were skipped. In those days there was no notion of virus. And that flu (like Covid19) was a novel virus, to which there was no immunity. Little to no medicines but aspirin and mother’s cures. BUT what helped people survive was support and nursing by neighbors and community, no travel (like stay home) and practical home nursing skills. Kids were caring for their families, stoking the wood cook stoves, delivering food to neighbors, and working alongside the adults who were not stricken. At any rate, doctors and nurses will be coming down ill as well, so be prepared. Learn from the past.
Read the story in the Guardian about Gunnison Colorado in 1918.
Here’s your link Scooter… https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/01/gunnison-colorado-the-town-that-dodged-the-1918-spanish-flu-pandemic
Ernie,
Thanks for the link. That’s quite a story that I was unfamiliar with.
Thanks Scooter, I appreciate you bringing it up.
Gunnison CO is often thru the winters, the coldest town in Colorado. Often sub zero temps. There has to be some connection. The air and water supply was naturally sanitized.
In March, 100 cases broke out, warmer weather and increased travel.
Speaking of genetics, my Father born 1901 caught the 1918 Spanish Flu and struggled on thru it. I believe he gave me his immunity. My point is clear, if you’re alive today in America, you’re lucky. You have good odds in your favor.
Time to build the wall…….around Humboldt.
Figures released by the Chinese government on Monday showed a new and optimistic trend: the total number of people to have recovered from the coronavirus exceeds the number who are currently sick.
……
“Outbreaks in Hubei outside of Wuhan are curbed and provinces outside of Hubei are showing a positive trend,” he added.
China also announced that one of 16 hospitals rapidly built in Wuhan, the epicenter of the crisis, had discharged its last patient and would close, according to Reuters.
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-more-recovered-than-still-infected-suggests-turnaround-2020-3?utm_source=yahoo.com&utm_medium=referral
News on Italy:
https://www.thelocal.it/20200301/map-which-parts-of-italy-are-affected-by-coronavirus-outbreak/amp
Wow looks like Evergreen Health in Kirkland did a very bad job of keeping their patients safe. That’s sad. These long term care facilities are entrusted with the care of our elders. They should be the first place taking any and every precaution, knowing that the death rate is so much higher in elders. My thoughts and prayers are with all at Evergreen health and their families. I’ve only ever been inside one long term care facility, but it was an absolute nightmare. It’s easy to imagine how this thing spread so fast if Evergreen is anything like the care center I’ve been in here in Humboldt.
This is a well done explainer (though definitely partisan)…by comedian, John Oliver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c09m5f7Gnic
Here’s a humorous and factual rebuttal to Mr.Oliver:
https://youtu.be/9fi8Hp4Ez3A
Well, I made it through 10 minutes. My kids made it through a couple. They didn’t buy the funny. Me, either.
I didn’t try and fact check everything but wait times is something I’ve experienced myself. According to this look at a variety of studies comparing the health care of the US and other industrialized nations, “For instance, in the United States, 4 percent of patients reported waiting four months or longer for nonemergency surgery, compared with only 2 percent of French patients and 0 percent of German patients. For specialist appointments, the situation is even worse: 6 percent of U.S. patients reported waiting two months or longer for an appointment, compared with only 4 percent of French patients and 3 percent of German patients.” https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/reports/2019/10/18/475908/truth-wait-times-universal-coverage-systems/
Whether this is a true emergency or a false alarm, either way it makes sense to manufacture all items pertaining to National Security here in the USA.
Hopefully the stock market is in a reset so it can invest in made in the USA.
The Healdsburg School cancels classes amid confirmed coronavirus contact
The private Healdsburg School canceled classes Monday as a precautionary measure after someone in the school community came in contact with a patient diagnosed with the coronavirus, school officials said.
The independent preparatory campus for grades K-8 has about 200 students, said Andy Davies, the top administrator. She did not specify how long the campus would be closed but did not expect it to be an extended period.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10774279-181/the-healdsburg-school-cancels-classes?trk_msg=DTCG7O8FA0I4P5F7FUEO6BQ9B8&trk_contact=9BJIFDA52N6DI17FT70JT5ABG8&trk_sid=MESPP5746CH9JVG8SUKM7FICT0&utm_email=C4DCF5A3246124E0748DA4E38A&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pressdemocrat.com%2fnews%2f10774279-181%2fthe-healdsburg-school-cancels-classes&utm_campaign=pd_breaking
Wonder why it’s the whole West Coast that has the most infected.
6 dead in Washington.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Washington news
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/
It’s in Florida, New York and more on the East Coast.
In addition to Seattle and California these are all major international airport areas.
Nothing wrong, it makes perfect sense.
The 25 Busiest Airports in the United States
https://www.tripsavvy.com/busiest-airports-in-the-usa-3301020
Most immigrants visiting back and forth to Asia and most business contacts to Asia. That is not necessarily political in nature.
A better time line from The Oregonian
https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/03/king-county-officials-hold-news-conference-on-coronavirus-in-washington-live-updates.html
So now people believe the media? Lol
4 more deaths just reported in Washington Post. That makes 6 deaths now in King County, WA.
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
WaPo is reporting 5 in King County and one in Snohomish County but I can’t find their source on the latter one. They are good but I want to make sure I get this right. John Hopkins site is not yet reporting any more than five deaths.
Thank you for all that you do, Kim!
I believe this is where more info on Snohomish County infections and deaths can be found:
http://www.snohd.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=268
Here are their Media Releases:
http://www.snohd.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=5
Kym, Here’s a reputable worldwide infectious disease website I worked with during the threatening Bird Flu pandemic then SARS and MERS, etc. Its Owner and Moderators contribute and have policed it faithfully since before 2006.
https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/-2019-ncov-new-coronavirus/united-states-2019-ncov
There’s also this great Johns Hopkins site: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6